Choices
by CrystalSparks
Summary: Ginny Weasley reunites with her friends again...just to have them leave her. Then, when she arrives at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, she starts seeing one of the things she fears most: death.
1. Aboard the Hogwarts Express

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Ginny Weasley heard a whistle as the Hogwarts Express came speeding to Platform 9 3/4. It was as red and gleaming as ever. She rushed in with her brother Ron, handing the baggage to the smiling conductor. Ginny managed to ignore tiny Pig's hoots and shrieks of plead.  
She parted with her brother and walked casually into her friends' compartment. Cirrus Avalon, Crystal Sparks, and Kevin Sparks smiled at her. Ginny smiled back. It felt good to be back with her friends again, on the train to Hogwarts; and her sixth year.  
"Hi, Ginny," Crystal said to her, her color-changing eyes sparkling. "How was your summer, working at Fred and George's new joke shop?"  
"Oh, you know the twins," Ginny said, her chocolate brown eyes laughing. "They know how to brighten people up. Fred gave this customer a free sample of Canary Creams. She turned into a bird right there, in front of a huge crowd. Not to mention that she lost a few feathers here and there."  
Kevin rolled his eyes, identical color-changing ones like his twin sister Crystal's. "No surprise there," he said, having had a few experiences like that himself. "Fred and George love making jokes in public...including the kind that involves transfiguration."  
"Exactly," Cirrus said seriously. "They'll get in trouble one of these days, with jokes and nonsense. Don't they realize that someday they'll get thrown out of the wizarding world if they start testing their products on Muggles? Seriously, in my opinion-------"  
Just then, Crystal, Kevin, and Ginny burst out laughing. "You--- sound just like---Percy," Ginny said between howls of laughter. "Liven up! You need some fun in your life, always moping around or being so serious...I'm surprised Fred and George haven't made a change in you. They usually succeed in doing that."  
Cirrus grew pink. "I have some fun in my life already," he answered. "Thanks to Crystal."  
Crystal was the new prankster of the school, following after her cousins Fred and George's footsteps. But some people didn't know it, seeing as Crystal was tied with Hermione Granger's grades, and she was a year younger than her! Getting straight A's and being a prefect...no one could see that she was a born troublemaker.  
"I'm thinking of turning in my badge soon," Crystal said thoughtfully. "That bureaucratic idiot Malfoy's always lecturing us about getting Muggle-borns into trouble. He says it's a tradition...does he really think we believe him? I'm glad his goons aren't there...they'd probably be chanting a stupid song to go along with the speech. Or maybe they'd be too stupid. You can never tell with those baboons."  
"Oh, don't!" Kevin cried, being a prefect also. "How will I get through all that hallway business without you, Cryssie? It's never any fun, patrolling the stupid corridors. Unless there's someone to cause some trouble and blame a certain Slytherin for it..."  
Ginny and Crystal broke into giggles. A Slytherin prefect, by the name of Blaise Zabini, had lost his badge last year because Crystal had turned the blame on him for dropping dungbombs and setting off firecrackers in the Great Hall. It had been a mess; the walls scorched black, the true ceiling finally showing its dull self. The tables had been splattered with dungbombs, as well as the windows.  
"I know, Kev, but hey, I can't live my fun-loving days in secret. I want to breathe the fresh smell of jokes and pranks, not the musty old books in the library. Can't you see?" Crystal said to her brother. "I need to live a fun life. Look how Percy Weasley ended up: a traitor, a Muggle-hater, and a...a...Death Eater."  
"But Crystal, just because you want a fun life doesn't mean you have to give your prefect badge up! You can have fun AND be serious at the same time! Look at Cirrus!" Kevin argued.  
Cirrus turned scarlet. "Keep me out of this, Kevin," he said, his ears going red. "It's enough with Creevey and me, but you guys?! You're twins, for Dumbledore's sake! I thought twins were supposed to get along well together! I thought---"  
"Well, you thought wrong," Ginny said, butting into the conversation. "Twins quarrel...they're not ALL like Fred and George, you know, Cirrus. And shut up about Colin! He didn't do anything to you! And Cryssie, my brother's changed. He helped our side go against Vol-Vol- Voldemort. Insulting your own cousin!"  
"Ginevra Molly Atlanta Weasley!" she yelled. "I refuse to be spoken to that way! Percy shut me out of his life, so I shut him out of MINE! What's wrong with that, Gin? He despised me ever since the day I was born, no matter how much I wanted to be a friend to him! Tears were now streaming from her eyes, which were a stormy gray. "And I guess things aren't any better with you, Gin. See you around." With that, she left the compartment.  
"Cryssie! Come back!" Kevin cried, his eyes turning an identical stormy gray. He ran after his twin sister and his closest friend.  
Ginny sank down to her seat, her chocolate brown eyes growing watery. 'Why did I have to do that?' she thought. 'Why?! Two of my closest friends...why?' She turned to Cirrus as if looking for an answer there.  
Cirrus shrugged. "It's their choice," he said as if he had read her mind. "Crystal has a good reason, and Kevin's her brother. I don't blame them, but I don't blame you either."  
Ginny groaned. This was the bad part about having a friend like Cirrus. "But she insulted my brother, Cirrus. And you know how depressing that is."  
Cirrus turned sober and nodded. His three sisters had been insulted because they had married Muggles, and as Draco Malfoy put it, "tainting the pureblood population". "Still, Gin," he said as he changed his mind. "She's forgiven you a lot of times for insulting her siblings. Like Courtney and Matt, in Slytherin, for example. But you can't even stand a simple remark about Percy. I think you should apologize...she didn't do much."  
Gin nodded reluctantly and walked out of the compartment. "Cryssie!" she called. Finally, she managed to track Crystal and Kevin sitting in a compartment with their friends Jessica Violet and Cassandra Oak. They looked surprised, but a little angry to see her. "Can I speak to you?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence. Crystal just ignored her. Kevin seemed to have read her mind, and said, "Gin, I don't think Crys wants to talk to you right now."  
Ginny went back to her tempest mood and replied, "Fine." She left, hiding the angry tears boiling the freckles on her cheeks. "Why does the world have to be so cruel?" she thought out loud. Just then, the train stopped at Hogsmeade Station. 


	2. At Hogwarts Again

Note: Thanks to Sleeping-Lisa17 for her review! I'll be writing a lot more!  
  
Ginny walked out of the train furiously, her robes flying behind her. She wiped the tears away, feeling lonely and desperate for companionship. Crystal had been her best, best, best friend out of all the friends she had. They were so alike, having fiery spirits and big families. Of course, Crystal wasn't the only girl in her family, but...the similarities were plenty. Busy with her thoughts, Ginny didn't notice Colin Creevey walk upto her.  
  
"Hey, Gin! What's up?" Colin asked cheerfully. Then, seeing a tear trickling down her cheek, his face grew concerned and worried. "What's wrong?"  
  
"It's nothing, Colin," Ginny answered, waving her hand carelessly. "Nothing that you should worry about."  
  
"Are you sure?" Colin asked, growing more worried by the second. "You don't seem to happy...any way I can help?"  
  
Ginny shook her head. There was no need to get Colin all fussed up about the situation. He would kill Crystal, being the type of person that he was. She didn't want Crystal dead, she just wanted forgiveness. Ginny looked into her now-best friend's deep blue eyes, full of concern and curiosity.  
  
"It's no big deal, Colin," she said with a smile. "I'm okay."  
  
"All right, Gin," Colin said, brightening up. "Now, c'mon! I'm hungry, can't you see?"  
  
They laughed as they walked through the entrance hall and to the Gryffindor Table. Fortunately for Ginny, Crystal was sitting with her back to Ginny. The thing that worried her was that Kevin seemed to be keeping a close eye on her. She shrugged and started to watch the sorting. This year, the new Gryffindors were Albert Rushmore, Louisa Rushmore, Pluto Eielson, Genevieve Ruthsbard, Seth McTonelli, David Blanche, Harriet Slinkhard, and Donald Rosetta.  
  
"This is so cool!" Harriet Slinkhard was saying, looking at the bewitched ceiling and the food that was magically appearing. She was a Muggle and didn't know anything about magic. "It's like...magic!"  
  
"It IS magic, Harri!" Seth said, howling with laughter. "Isn't it obvious?"  
  
"Weeelllllll, you can't expect ME to know that!" Harriet said quietly, her face turning red with embarrassment. "You're a pureblood, Seth. I'm not."  
  
"And like I care. Muggles and purebloods are all HUMANS, for Dumbledore's sake. Those stupid Slytherins are too idiotic to realize it," Seth remarked. Kevin sent him a nasty glare. Matt and Courtney Sparks were Slytherins, after all. "No offense, Kev," Seth added with a grin.  
  
Ginny laughed. "Not all of them are that bad, Seth," she said, wanting to stay on the good side of Kevin. "Look at Courtney and Matt Sparks over there. They're not that stupid. They agree with you. If you don't believe me, go ask them." Kevin sent her a weak smile in return.  
  
"Well, maybe I will, Gin. Maybe I will," was Seth's reply.  
  
Colin laughed. "Seth, you sure know how to brighten people's spirits up," he said.  
  
Ginny nodded in agreement. 'He sure is...and so are the other Gryffindors,' she thought. 'But the other houses count, too, and I'm not getting along well with them.'  
  
After finishing the feast, Ginny, Colin, Harriet, and Seth walked sleepily to the portrait of the Fat Lady. She seemed to be in high spirits, looking content and blooming.  
  
"Harry Potter," Harriet said to her. It was the new password, in honor of Harry, who would be leaving next year.  
  
"You'd better catch on some sleep, dears. You want to get a good start of school tomorrow," the Fat Lady said after opening up.  
  
They entered and found themselves in their glorious scarlet-and-gold common room once again.  
  
"I can't believe I'm actually going to LIVE here!" Harriet exclaimed. "Today is the best day of my life!"  
  
"You'd better count on it," Seth said with a yawn. "I'm going to bed. See you guys in the morning." With that, he went up the boys' dormitories.  
  
"I'm going to stay up for a bit. See you, Seth!" Harriet said, and plunged onto a comfortable-looking chair. "What about you guys?"  
  
"I'm going to bed," Colin and Ginny said in unison. Laughing, they went upto their dormitories. 


	3. The Dream

Ginny walked up the stairs that led to a door reading Sixth Years. She opened it slowly, being very tired. She yawned and found her bed, as soft and comfortable as ever. She plopped onto the blue bedding and sighed. It was good to be back home again. She tried not to think too much about Crystal and Kevin, her ex-friends. Instead Ginny concentrated on the next glorious day. Harry was the captain of the Quidditch Team, and hopefully would be holding tryouts. Thinking about soaring through the air like an eagle, she gently fell asleep, her head nearly missing the pillow.  
  
Ginny sunk into a deep dream. She saw blood-red eyes and pale white skin staring down at her. The snakelike face had slits for a nose and didn't seem to be breathing. She felt cold, cold feelings, worse than the ones she had experienced with dementors. Then again, it wasn't surprising, because he was probably the leader of the dementors!  
  
"Ah, little Ginny. You are awake," Voldemort said with a hiss. "Old friends, aren't we? Nice to see you again. Very kind of you to drop in."  
  
"Thomas Riddle," Ginny said coldly, her chocolate brown eyes speckled with a frosty gray. "Pleasant to see you again."  
  
"Long time, no see," he said, his red eyes shining with excitement. "But who could get to you with that idiot Sparks girl guarding over you?"  
  
"Crystal---was protecting me?" Ginny said in disbelief. "But...I never knew...she couldn't have...I mean, she's not special in any way...a normal witch..."  
  
"Ah," Voldemort said with a look of glee. "I'll explain. You thought Harry Potter was the only wizard that survived my attacks? Well, there was another. Three guesses who, and the first two don't count."  
  
"Crystal," Ginny breathed.  
  
"Very good," he said. "On with the tale. Who knew that the newborn baby girl would be dangerous? I was just aiming for the Sparks...a big mistake, underestimating the child. She had powers...powers even stronger and more powerful than mine. I didn't know that then. I had snuck inside the house, seeking revenge for the Sparks, who had tortured some of my most trusted Death Eaters. She was six months old then...even younger than Potter. I tried to kill her idiot brother first, Kevin, I think it was. But she stepped in front of him and took full blast of the curse. Somehow it backfired and hit me. I got weak and fled, a frail, dying spirit. Lucius Malfoy cured me of that wretched pain, but a part of my magic was gone."  
  
Ginny nodded, awed at the story of Crystal's bravery and magic. She had known her friend was useful, brave, and kind, but never as a person who had defeated the darkest wizard of all times! It was incredible. Voldemort had seemed to have read her mind.  
  
"Yes, surprising, isn't it?" he asked unenthusiastically. "Your friend, a kindhearted, knowledgeable person, being the one who weakened me for Harry Potter? Inconceivable!" He cackled. "But it is the truth, and you must know it before your very unfortunate death."  
  
Ginny paled, her skin turning whiter than snow. Her flaming red hair dulled. Her chocolate brown eyes turned to a dusty hazel.  
  
"Wha---what do you mean, my---death?" she questioned, trembling.  
  
"Why, the one that is going to occur right about...now," Voldemort said exasperatedly. "If you didn't know."  
  
"Give a young victim her last couple of words," Ginny snapped. "Even you should be honorable enough to give me my final request."  
  
"All right," he said with a scowl. "Be that way. But only your final request, Ginevra."  
  
"Crucio!" Ginny shouted, her eyes burning. "Petrificus Totalus! Stupefy! Rictusempra!!!"  
  
A stream of spells hit Voldemort, making him unconscious. His red-blood eyes closed for a long, long while, Ginny guessed. 


End file.
